Gran Turismo - Open World Freeroam? (Read OP)

[ITCC_Andrew]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCKX48KUDtA

Also notice that in the Spec II trailer at 1:38 there are city/street driving scenes shown. PD at least has it in mind, that's sure.

At 1:56 I see a bit of the C1 loop. I believe they might be planning on giving us the only road system we need; the Tokyo Metropolitan highway system.

Anyone who's played "Import Tuner Challenge" knows these highways off by heart.


The interesting thing about it is, that every "Special Stage" or "Clubman Stage" route except the Special Stage Route X, is actually in Tokyo, and ONLY uses the highway/the roads below the highways.

Special Stage Route 5 (as you know it) is in the C1 loop. The portion of that video above is further video of the C1 loop. Special Stage Route 7 is a portion of the Shinkanjo loop (a Ring Road which uses a portion of the C1 loop) Special Stage Route 11 was an extension of the Special Stage Route 5. Clubman Stage Route 5 is a shortened version.


However, all of these tracks are based on the real road system in Tokyo, as well as Tokyo R246, which is in a different part of the city... It's worth speculation.

 

[Morgoth_666]

But what I expect would happen is things will be limited, the car list would be cut and they would focus featuring more supercars or topend production cars. (Boring to me, but some may want this and PD probably would too, supercars sell racing games to the masses)
The physics would probably be alterd in some way to make driving easier and more userfriendly.
The tuning may be limited or removed completely. (It's a free roam driving game there's no need to tune cars to make them faster)

While I share some of your concern about GT5's tendency to always get everything about half-right and half-wtf, I don't see why you think they would limit things largely to "supercars or topend production cars." If nothing else, the thing that has always set GT5 apart from all the other racing games around has been it's extensive focus on normal everyday cars that you see on your daily travels and that you can easily comprehend going out and buying yourself.

Basically every game has super-fast cars(unless it's focused entirely on a specific sort of slow-car racing), but most only have a small token selection of "everyday" cars. GT5 from the beginning has largely featured those everyday cars, with a healthy dose of high-performance cars and a few token supercars and a few proper race cars. The cars that people are always complaining aren't in the GT series tend to be the supercar-types.

So if anything, they wouldn't let you drive on their real-street-sandbox in anything faster than a Mazda3. But they'd probably allow any sort of car except possibly race cars(and like you say, might come up with a stupid "free-roam-eligible" list).

 

[aadil717]

What the hell is the difference between Free Run and Free Roam?? Same thing IMO, terrible use of resources and time.

Free run is cruising or doing whatever you like on the track - which is an in game feature.

Free roam is an idea of an open city of some sort and you being able to drive on open roads and not be enclosed to the limits of a track - which is what the OP is suggesting that PD should implement.

The concept of these two (which I don't think you seem to grasp) sound simple enough to me, so I hope I explained it properly.

 

[CodeRedR51]

What the hell is the difference between Free Run and Free Roam?? Same thing IMO, terrible use of resources and time.

Depends on how you look at it, but they are not the same.

Free run = what we have now. (endless laps on a track)

Free roam = open world (like NFS or Forza Horizon) with the ability to go anywhere.

 

[Zuku]

Free Roam is something I can see for Gran Turismo 6 instead of this one.

Actually depending on how they do it could technically make the Free Roam the Career mode just don't do in the NFS Underground 2 Fashion(Where different shops were all over the place).

This would be one big Free Roam though the more I think about it trying to fit in career mode in all.

 

[Earth]

After watching more of Forza Horizon I really don't like the idea of traffic clogging up the roads. Sure they may make the world feel more alive but I'd rather go on a cruise without worrying about there be a Samba bus around the next blind corner.

Forza Horizon Freeroam Map (just a portion of it) I wonder how many square miles the whole thing is

 

[Ronald6]

Adjustable traffic volume?

 

[JogoAsobi]

What the hell is the difference between Free Run and Free Roam?? Same thing IMO, terrible use of resources and time.

Agreed.

What appears to the end-user as a simple thing to do has serious repercussions for allocation of GT's resources on the back-end, not to mention the time involved programing which incurs financial costs.

 

[mustangfan663]

I say there should be free roam so u drive to a dealership go in test drive a car if u want it buy it if not look somewhere else

 

[JogoAsobi]

I say there should be free roam so u drive to a dealership go in test drive a car if u want it buy it if not look somewhere else

Being able to take it for a spin on your track of choice before purchase would be close to that.

I would be all for that, and it would not be that hard to add that functionality in to a future version of GT.

 

[CodeRedR51]

What appears to the end-user as a simple thing to do has serious repercussions for allocation of GT's resources on the back-end, not to mention the time involved programing which incurs financial costs.

GT doesn't need an open world "Free Roam" anyway. That's not what this game is about.

What it DOES need however, is what I posted on the last page -

...

Would I like it if we could free roam the tracks? HELL YES.

What I mean by that is the ability to enter the pits / garages and side roads surrounding the track or inside it.

 

[CCXRacer]

didnt even know about this forza horizon, I swear they look at these forums and just make whatever become popular with GT fans. I bet they're LOVING how much PD drags their feet with everything.

 

[Earth]

Adjustable traffic volume?

That would fix the problem. I would adjust my traffic pretty low so I only see one car every 30 seconds or so

Would I like it if we could free roam the tracks? HELL YES.

What I mean by that is the ability to enter the pits / garages and side roads surrounding the track or inside it.

How is that more about what GT is then free roam?

Gran Turismo has a large amount of road cars that were meant to drive on the road and not on a cold, lifeless, surrounded by catch fencing and sand traps racecourses. I would love to drive a car and not see a rumble strip for once.

The course generator should be altered to allow it to generate free roam like tracks.

 

[Cowboys965]

I think Motegi should have a free roam, since each layout is connected at some point but has an invisible wall on the road to get to the other course.

I.e. Road course is connected to the oval by a small road.

 

[CodeRedR51]

How is that more about what GT is then free roam?

It would just be nice to be able to go anywhere on the track. When I'm done lapping, maybe I want to drive to the garage and park the car inside? Maybe I want control of my car on pit road?

Gran Turismo has a large amount of road cars that were meant to drive on the road and not on a cold, lifeless, surrounded by catch fencing and sand traps racecourses. I would love to drive a car and not see a rumble strip for once.

Then you sir are definitely playing the wrong game. It's been the same since GT1, what makes you think they'll change it now?

 

[Earth]

It would just be nice to be able to go anywhere on the track. When I'm done lapping, maybe I want to drive to the garage and park the car inside? Maybe I want control of my car on pit road?

I would like that too but IMO it doesnt add as much to the experience as a "free roam" would

Then you sir are definitely playing the wrong game. It's been the same since GT1, what makes you think they'll change it now?

Wasn't too long ago I thought the exact same thing about people who wanted free roam. But thats one of the problems with GT its been the same thing since 1998.

The deal is Forza is expanding what a racing simulation can be...Gran Turismo has hit a real nasty dry spell with not much innovation going on. I'll be honest and say Gran Turismo is not completely stagnant and is moving forward in the right direction with time change and weather, but PD really drags their feet in making "fun" changes to the franchise

Forza and free roam is getting alot of people excited... Me personally I don't care for the GT Academy at all so that leaves me with nothing to get excited about.

I just really want to have a Ford GT with GT5 physics and an open road. I imagine that to be very relaxing while offering alot of replay value

 

[CodeRedR51]

Forza and free roam is getting alot of people excited...

What you are getting is NFS with better physics (in other people opinion, not mine) and Forza's advanced tuning modes. What has me excited about it? Takes place in Colorado, my home state. That's about it.

I just really want to have a Ford GT with GT5 physics and an open road. I imagine that to be very relaxing while offering alot of replay value

The deal is, there are so many more games out there that can give you that. (minus the physics) Forza Horizon will be one. Does that mean GT needs to change to suit the people who want that? No, it doesn't. Why is it that people these days insist that every game should be the same or follow the footsteps of a competitor? Why can't you just buy both games and enjoy them for what they are? The puzzles me to no end. It's not like anyone is forcing the public to buy one game or the other.

 

[aadil717]

Gran Turismo has a large amount of road cars that were meant to drive on the road and not on a cold, lifeless, surrounded by catch fencing and sand traps racecourses. I would love to drive a car and not see a rumble strip for once.

Really? So tell me why do they make sports, super and hyper cars then? So they can enjoy them at 30-80 MPH?

Ever heard of people going to track days?
Where people, take their cars onto a race track, and enjoy themselves.
Or maybe modifying the road cars and turning them into race cars and participating in events...curse PD and their unrealistic, ridiculous, ludicrous ideas! Putting cars on racetracks...Pfft...

Sorry to be so harsh, but it just sounds like you're making out that the GT series isn't for you - in which case I don't understand why you joined GTP, however many years ago it was.

 

[Earth]

The deal is, there are so many more games out there that can give you that. (minus the physics) Forza Horizon will be one. Does that mean GT needs to change to suit the people who want that? No, it doesn't. Why is it that people these days insist that every game should be the same or follow the footsteps of a competitor? Why can't you just buy both games and enjoy them for what they are? The puzzles me to no end. It's not like anyone is forcing the public to buy one game or the other.

This is why competition is good for the industry.

Forza went out of nowhere and added free roam, something you'd never thought a serious simulation would add. Now alot of people want GT6 to have it. That's only good for the franchise, to be under pressure to add as much as possible.

Now if free roam takes too much time to develop which in turn takes time away from core GT6 development then maybe that shouldn't add it. After all Forza outsourced most of Horizon's development which tells me to do free roam right it takes alot of manpower.

But the kicker is Gran Turismo 5's course editor. I think we all know it originally had the ability to generate point to point courses. So who knows what else it can be capable of with more development? How hard is it to develop this course editor to the point where it can generate 50+ square miles of open roads that intersect each other? It doesn't have to be as pretty looking or varied as Horizon. Simple terrain, even vast plains or desert beside the road would be good enough for me.

And let me turn the tables on you. What if someone said there was no need to add NASCAR or Rally ertc to Gran Turismo because you can buy other games that feature those series prominently? Gran Turismo is about getting alot of variety in one package. Why can't free roam be added in that package? I think in the future free roam may be included in Forza title once the new xbox offers more storage capacity on the discs.

Really? So tell me why do they make sports, super and hyper cars then? So they can enjoy them at 30-80 MPH?

Ever heard of people going to track days?
Where people, take their cars onto a race track, and enjoy themselves.
Or maybe modifying the road cars and turning them into race cars and participating in events...curse PD and their unrealistic, ridiculous, ludicrous ideas! Putting cars on racetracks...Pfft...

Sorry to be so harsh, but it just sounds like you're making out that the GT series isn't for you - in which case I don't understand why you joined GTP, however many years ago it was.

Thats why 0-60mph and not 60-100mph is so important.

Right now in GT the only place to just cruise with your car while not feeling that repetitive is the Nurburgring. Open roads would work much better as a place to cruise.

 

[TokoTurismo]

I still remember that white city GT5 had. What the heck was that? That should be in GT6 as its new GT Life mode.

 

[KyoDex]

I would ONLY if they implemented the Special Stages to this feature.

Making Route 11, Route 5, Route 7 and maybe Route X connect. Maybe some Routes we haven't seen yet.
To people comparing TDU and GTA To this idea... Can YOU drive a gold chrome fiat 500 in GTA?

 

[Zuku]

No, but they do have a look alike Lambo in GTA and Ferrari look alike as well.

As for the Special Stage Routes I think they'd be factored in as like Highways to get to places. Clubman Stage 5, SSR5, Route X, and SSR7 I can see, but SSR11 at least the one from GT3 I cannot see.

I'd like this idea if they include all the course in it somehow, but it'd be a pretty big world to include all these courses that people want.

A game that comes off the top of my head is well NFS Hot Pursuit 2010 the size of it's open world was pretty darn big, but I think GT6 open world would have to be larger than that of course.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Forza went out of nowhere and added free roam, something you'd never thought a serious simulation would add. Now alot of people want GT6 to have it. That's only good for the franchise, to be under pressure to add as much as possible.

No, see here's the thing: Forza isn't "adding" free roam to their game. They are coming out with an entirely separate release for it. If PD wants to create a separate game from the main GT series with free roam to compete with F:H, then I wouldn't care. But adding it to GT6 just doesn't make sense. I think Turn 10 realized the same for Forza, and that's why they are splitting them apart.

 

[JBanton]

I'm not sure how representative the poll results are, but it does look like there is some popularity behind the idea of an open-world free-roam.

Vote people, please vote!

 

[analog]

GT doesn't need an open world "Free Roam" anyway. That's not what this game is about.

Then you sir are definitely playing the wrong game. It's been the same since GT1, what makes you think they'll change it now?

Kaz himself mentioned they were looking into (or were already developing) a 'traffic-mode' at the time GT5 was just released (remember some of those early demos where the cars had indicator icons in the HUD?), showing the concept of what constitutes a GT-game isn't set in stone even though the basic structure of the game has indeed not changed since GT1, yet.
Should what the GT-series 'are about' be defined by how it was or is right now or should they (hypothetically for now, given resource/time constraints) be allowed to expand in scope? (within its own context and not losing what it currently offers).

For me, the GT-series (and Forza, even though I've never played it) are foremost a celebration or hommage to cars and car-culture before anything else and racing is only one (a vital and important one obviously) aspect of that.
That's the context (which is a relatively broad context) I use when I express liking the idea of free roam, just driving cars offline and online on more than just closed racing tracks.
Not free roam in the sense of a true sandbox game or the more driving-orientated but mission-based Driver SF for example, but to simply make more use of the wide variety of cars included (cars tend to be driven mostly on public roads, why not in a driving simulator?).

I love racing on closed tracks or try to reach certain goals in the game but if I just want to drive a car in a casual way, without any goal, on a road I haven't driven before, I'm currently limited to making endless variations of a course creator theme which is yet another closed track I get to know eventually (or have to regenerate) and even a point to point option isn't a solution to that, nevermind that you can't choose another direction.
Does GT need free roam? That depends on what you think GT 'is about', I've been playing it since 1998 so I know what it has been about so far and what attracts me to still play it now, but I can see it becoming a lot more.

Offering maps with roads doesn't seem at all far fetched or inappropriate, to me it's only a logical next extension to the whole GT-concept in the first place, in fact I could imagine it already being there in GT1.

 

[ITCC_Andrew]

After REALLY thinking deep and hard about it, I'm ONLY going to support a World Freeroam if it's on the C1 loop/Tokyo Metropolitan Highway systems. Most of them are already modeled into GT5. So, it shouldn't be too hard.


They're in Tokyo, obviously, for a large percentage of the game ANYWAYS (Special Stage Route 5, Special Stage Route 7, Special Stage Route 11, Tokyo R246, Clubman Stage Route 5) and it could easily be implemented with real life/real time weather, considering that their lighting and weather systems are... decent.


So, I voted "yes" but only if it's done without adding 200 miles of "new tracks" because we'd all like to have Apricot Hill/Midfield/New York/Paris, and such, as well as the open freeroam.

 

[Zuku]

@ analog

That's exactly how I define the GT series well said sir. I do agree sometimes you just want to drive on an open road with certain cars. Like for me the Ferrari 458 Italia I've grown a bit on that car.

Personally I'm not a big Ferrari fan either. I like them, but just not a huge fan like others are.

 

[GranTurismo916]

Yes. But if we ever get a free roam, it should be all of the Special Stages mixed together so PD doesn't have to just focus on that.

 

[Hyped]

There should be an autobahn type of road, where you can really push your car to the max. And then, for when you're driving off on the main roads, cruise control.
Joined the group by the way, I think it's a great idea.

 

[Zuku]

Why not make it bigger than that though.

Although for PD to at least put this in effectively they need way more employees then they currently have. I'm saying without sacrificing other parts of the game which may have happened in GT5.

Playing off what I said at the top of this post why not make it bigger though? I'd imagine a full on career mode where having all the tracks available in a massive open world. Where getting to certain tracks means traveling the Special Stage Routes, and also could include drag racing like how Midnight Club La had. Random Racers pop up out of nowhere and you can challenge them to drag races. On Route X or SSR7.

These are just thoughts though I'm just trying to show how the possibilities of GT with Free Roam is endless.